You do well when you complete the Royal Rule of the Scriptures: “Love others as you love yourself.” But if you play up to these so-called important people, you go against the Rule and stand convicted by it. You can’t pick and choose in these things, specializing in keeping one or two things in God’s law and ignoring others. (James 2:8-10 MSG) 

Recently, I went into town with my family and, there, we saw a disabled veteran who was asking for help. Well, about four years ago in Vacation Bible School, we made “Blessing Bags” - a drawstring bag filled with a food gift card, some articles of clothing for the colder months, a small Bible or devotional, and a few other things - and we ended up having one left in our car. We jumped out of the car and gave the very grateful man the bag. 

I share that story because it is easier for everyone (including me!) to talk about good things, things where we were following the rules. In this case, we just followed the Royal Rule: Love others as you love yourself. 

But a story about following the Royal Rule comes amidst dozens that don’t. The stories where we judge people or see them as “lower” can sometimes be really hard to tell. Occasionally, is it easy to tell these stories because we think we are in the right to talk about someone like that, or think about them differently. The truth is, we are not in the right to talk about others judgmentally. We are all God’s beloved children and we live in many different circumstances: some rich and some poor, some healthy and some not. On top of that, we all share a sinful nature that can lead us to do some not-so-great things. As James reminds us in this week’s passage, we need to remember that the Royal Rule is God’s rule, and when we don’t follow the rule, we are not fulfilling what He commands of us. 

While we all dress differently, everyone is (metaphorically) clothed wearing lowly rags - but at the exact same time, our special relationship with God draws us into royalty. When we follow Jesus, we walk around every day wearing “royal rags.” 

Not everyone has the opportunity to bless others with gifts or food, but we can all bless each other through our kind words and actions. In your day-to-day life, how can you show others love, integrate the Royal Rule, and remember that everyone wears the same royal rags?